Report on Feasibility Study on Photovoltaic (PV) Cells as Source of

Energy in Millenium City

Al Jay Lan J. Alamin; John Carl B. Cortes; Ivan D. Delizo; Zacchaeus Kyle S. Gabales;
Shania F. Gonzaga; Justin Khail B. Mejos; Victoria Gil E. Regalado

Philippine Science High School – Central Mindanao Campus

Nangka, Balo-i, Lanao del Norte

ABSTRACT
Fights for a sustainable energy are initiated all throughout the world. In Millenium City, a
feasibility study was done regarding photovoltaic cells as a potential source of energy. Its costs
and its energy output were computer modelled. Given that the finances would be covered by a
loan through a financial agency, it was concluded that the best suit for Millenium City was to
utilize a crystalline silicon tracking mount to be set up in Miramar Landfill to have PV cells
efficiently work as a source of energy.

BACKGROUND
With the increasingly worrying global energy crisis, the company of Green Energy was tasked to
conduct a feasibility study in the Millenium City landfill regarding the utilization of solar energy
for city development. Green Energy is a pioneering company in alternative energy but
nevertheless, the implementation of solar electric power plant may have grave consequences and
issues in its technicalities and for the city’s economy. Thus, this report was formulated to analyze
such technical and economic issues and provide recommendations for the course of action for
Millenium City.
The plan of Green Energy was to come up with a solar electric power plant with either a
crystalline silicon fixed mount or crystalline silicon tracking mount. These tracking mounts may
then be adjusted as to only accommodate either 200kW, 500kW, or 1MW of energy.
Some technical factors of the modules were considered including the tilt of the tracking mount
structures were analyzed in relation to some economic variables. Furthermore, for the
photovoltaic power generation, it was stipulated that the ideal location would be at the Millenium
City landfill site which has strong solar radiation incident on its 100-acre surface. The landfill
site is also close to a small community and an airport which can access the produced energy.
For the economic aspect, the value of the electricity produced is estimated to be at ​₱7.20/kWh
with a 3% escalation factor to account for inflation. The capital cost for the project would utilize
a financial agency taking a loan payable within 13 years at 6% interest per annum and a down
payment depending on the type of tracking mount and size of the photovoltaic power plant.

TECHNICAL ISSUES
Several technical issues were identified for the proposed project. Firstly, on the effect of the PV
power plant to the nearby airport, there may be some disturbances with regards to the normal
operations of the airport. Although it was found out that the reflectivity of the PV panels would
not significantly affect operations and that reflectivity would not be a concern for the aircrafts.
On the other hand, though the vibration from the landing aircrafts would not affect PV
performance, it is important to consider that the build up of jet fuel and other foreign substances
within the vicinity of the power plant will affect PV performance. For the case of Millenium
City, more specifically in the Miramar Landfill site, however, it is still not known as to what
extent this would disturb operations. Finally, for human and environmental health, it has been
found out that there is no significant damage to such and thus, it is recommended that issues
concerning the safety and the technicalities for the operations of the power plant, with it being
close to the airport, not be scrutinized.
For the technicalities of the chosen material to be used for the modules, which was crystalline
silicon, it was imminent since for the amorphous thin film modules, the expected acreage
requirement was twice of that for the crystalline silicon modules. Furthermore, the annual energy
output of these thin film modules was much less with only an approximate 75% output as
compared to the crystalline silicon modules (tracking mount). Other than this, other economic
costs were to be incurred in the utilization of amorphous thin film modules as to be discussed in
the following section.

ECONOMIC ISSUES
In the economic side, the decision to come to the usage of crystalline silicon for the modules was
clear given that though its financial costs as compared to amorphous thin film modules is greater,
there were some overpowering economic costs which rendered the amorphous thin film modules
inefficient and costly as compared to the crystalline silicon modules. Though the compromise of
the annual output for the amorphous thin film was balanced by its lower costs, some opportunity
costs, most notably its incompatibility with tracking systems due to its fragility. This
incompatibility, in turn, costs Millenium City to adapt to tracking systems which give out a much
greater energy output.
With the information above, it is clear, therefore, that the best suit was to adapt crystalline silicon
mounts for the power plants. However, whether or not a tracking or a fixed mount was to be used
is still under discussion.
Tracking and fixed mounts do not differ with regards to the problems caused by its technicality
since both will be kept under isolation in the landfill. Therefore, economic issues were analyzed
for the discussion of these. On average, no matter the size of the power plant, it is estimated the
system capital cost, the fixed cost for the system, will only differ by 3% if tracking mounts were
selected over fixed mounts. However, its maintenance costs do differ significantly at over 15%
difference. Now, these increased costs are balanced off by the fact that crystalline silicon fixed
mounts only generate 85% of energy annually as compared to that of the crystalline silicon
tracking mount. Furthermore, for the financial agency, there is only a 5% difference, on average,
for the down payments, no matter the size.
One final consideration for the PV power plant implementation is as to what extent will these
power plants be generating energy. Green Energy were free to choose from either a 200 kW, 500
kW, or 1MW system. A 200 kW power plant may not be sufficient for the purposes of
Millenium City and thus, it was not considered. However, between 500 kW and 1 MW, the latter
exceeds annual energy output by 48.8%. Once again, this is offset by a capital cost difference of
50.7% and operational cost difference of 48.7%. Finally, for the down payment on the financial
institution, it was calculated that there is a 46% difference between the two with the 1 MW
power plant almost doubling that of the 500 kW. With all these factors in mind, economically, it
was wisest to build a 500 kW size power plant.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

It is found out that the best suit for Millenium City was to build a 500 kW PV power plant with a
crystalline silicon tracking mount, given that it is to be built at the Miramar Landfill Site and is
to be funded by a financial agency through a loan. It is estimated that over its 13-year payable
period, the 6% per annum interest along with capital would be fully paid if payment were to
solely come from the revenue of the power plant (assuming that Millenium City has a large
population).
Therefore, it is in full recommendation that the building of the PV power plant in Millenium City
be done as the revenues and benefits obtained for the city far outweigh the economic costs.